Priests for Life

3/13/2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Leslie Palma - 347-286-7277

NEW YORK – Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, today called on all believers to participate in National Voter Registration Sundays to be held on June 29, July 6, and September 7 this year.

“Citizens do not have the luxury of ‘sitting out’ elections,” said Fr. Pavone. “When human life is at stake, when our very ability to freely practice our faith is under attack, we need to defend life and faith. God has given us an opportunity to do exactly that by voting. That’s why this year’s Voter Registration Sundays are crucial.”

Voter Registration Sundays are promoted by Priests for Life and other national pro-life and pro-family organizations to encourage pastors and church attendees to do what they are legally entitled to do – conduct non-partisan voter registration drives. While the official days of these registration efforts this year are the Sundays before and after Independence Day and the Sunday before 9/11, churches, prayer groups, and Bible studies can register voters on any day of their choosing.

“Priests for Life has a wealth of material at PoliticalResponsibility.com that explains how to have a voter registration day in your church, spelling out the activities that all churches and charitable non-profit groups are legally permitted to do,” added Fr. Pavone. “There is no legal reason for pastors or churchgoers to refrain from having registration drives at church. On the contrary, we should feel impelled to do so.”

Alveda King, Director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, observed that there is a historical connection to this year’s registration drives.

“This is the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act,” she said. “We have seen in these last five decades how the right to vote has helped guarantee the civil rights of all Americans of any color. Our right to vote today can help restore and protect the civil rights of all Americans of any stage of life.”

The Family Research Council, a chief sponsor of the National Voter Registration Sundays, states on its website, “Christians can have a positive impact on elections and ultimately our nation’s future….Yet every election millions of Christians fail to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens. We can help our people obey Christ’s command to participate in government (Matt. 22:21) by encouraging voter registration and voting Christian values.”

Priests for Life has formed a national "Vote Pro-life Coalition" (VoteProLifeCoalition.com) to foster joint non-partisan efforts among national groups. Members of the Coalition are promoting the Voter Registration Sundays. For instance, Chris Slattery, founder and President of Expectant Mother Care/EMC Frontline Pregnancy Centers, said, “Getting ourselves, our family, friends, church and pro-life contacts to register to vote is more important than ever. Let's take the time to get involved with voter registration drives, especially on the dates promoted here.”

Jo Tolck, Executive Director of the Human Life Alliance, simply declared, “Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves. Remember to register! Remember to vote!”

More information on the National Christian Voter Registration Sundays is available from Priests for Life at http://www.priestsforlife.org/vote/.

Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.